Pakistan Muslim League leader Nawaz Sharif, who was widely expected to be the next Prime Minister of Pakistan, has instead nominated his brother, former PM Shehbaz Sharif to lead the next coalition government and become the new Prime Minister of Pakistan

Taking to X, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said, “PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, 74, has nominated his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, 72, a candidate for the slot of prime minister and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, 50, for chief minister of Punjab province.”

This expectation arises from the coalition formed by them, comprising major political parties, poised to comfortably surpass the simple majority threshold to establish the next government.

Following elections results which had no clear majority, however, the parties of Sharif and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (PPP) together have enough seats to form a new coalition government. 

The party of former prime minister Imran Khan has announced plans to try to form a government, following disputed elections. The chairman of Khan's PTI party said it started by allying with a small party.

Independent candidates backed by jailed former premier Imran Khan have won 92 seats, making them the largest group, but they cannot form a government on their own, having run as individuals and not a party, and have ruled out alliances with PML-N or PPP.

Bhutto Zardari said that Khan's independent candidates and the PML-N collectively held more seats than his party, though Khan had dismissed the idea of forming an alliance with the PPP.